Incinerator



July 15, 1969 p. J. JO NSON 3,455,257

' I INCINERATOR Filed Oct. 6, 1967 P404 J JOfl/VSQ/V INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent This application discloses an improvement to the device disclosed in US. Letters Patent 3,027,445. In the past referred to I disclose a method and means for disposing of metal cans. The present application discloses a device to be combined with the patented device. The improvement consists of a truncated, conical shell, having spiral baffles therein, in which combustible materials, such as papers, cardboard, garbage, and the like, may be burned, and the non-combustible trash, such as metal cans, metal closure elements, and the like, may be charged into the patented device for distintegration, so that in a continuous sequence practically all domestic trash and garbage may be disposed of in an economical manner.

This invention relates to incinerators and has particular reference to a device which is used in combination with the device disclosed in my previous Patent 3,027,445.

An object of the invention is to improve the means disclosed in my previous patent, and to provide a device which is constructed and arranged so that it will handle and dispose of practically any type of domestic trash or garbage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which may be coupled to the device disclosed in my previous patent, so that a continuous flow of material may be eifected through the two devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvement to my previous patented device which will permit me to consume combustible materials in an initial step and dispose of non-combustible metal materials in a second step. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a device to be combined with my patented device in which combustible materials may be burned off, and non-combustible materials, such as glass bottles, may be shattered and disintegrated, and non-combustible materials, such as metal cans, tops, and the like, may be advanced into the patented device for disintegration.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a truncated, conical shell, having spiral baffles therein, and having an open end for receiving combustible and noncombustible materials, and an open discharge end received on the interior of the device disclosed in US. Patent 3,027,445, for discharging into the patented device certain non-combustible materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a truncated, conical shell having perforated walls for receiving and disposing of combustible materials.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a frusto-conical shell, having peripheral tracks supported on flanged wheels, with power means to rotate the shell combustible material therein is being burned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frust0 conical shell with means to support and rotate the shell in forward and reverse directions, and means to absorb the thrust exerted on said shell by said power means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frustoconical shell for burning combustible materials, with power means to rotate the shell forwardly and reversely, and spring biased support means, and means responsive to the weight of the shell and its contents for starting and stopping said power means.

Patented July 15, 1969 Another object of the invention is to provide a frustoconical shell with means communicating with the interior thereof, for burning combustible material, means on the interior thereof for disintegrating glass and similar noncombustible material, and means on the interior thereof for advancing other non-combustible material, such as metal cans and the like, from said shell, to a cylinder equipped to disintegrate such metal cans and the like.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing, forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device embodying the invention combined with my previously patented device, the latter being shown partly in elevation and partly in section.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the combustion shell shown in FIG. 1, taken substantially on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed the reference character 7, in general, indicates the housing for the new device, which housing is secured to the housing 8 of the device more particularly described and claimed in my previous Patent 3,027,445.

The housing 7 has a top member 7A, a bottom member 7B, front member 70, rear member 7D, and a side member 7E.

The rear member 7D is preferably secured to the housing 8 of the patented device by means of bolts and nuts 9, or other suitable means.

The rear member 7D has an opening 10 therein, which is in line with the opening 11 of the cylinder 12 of the device disclosed in US. Patent 3,027,445.

The cylinder 12 of the patented device is constructed and arranged and functions in the manner previously disclosed in the said patent, and to which reference is hereby made for greater certainty.

The front member 7C is provided with a opening 13 through which combustible and non-combustible material may be inserted an hereinafter decribed. The opening 13 is covered by mean of a cover plate 14, which in turn has an opening 15 therein, which last opening is covered by means of a door 16 which is hinged, as at 17, and is provided with a handle 18.

The cover plate 14 may be secured to the member 7C by welding or other suitable means.

Mounted for rotation on the interior of the housing 7 is a truncated, or frusto-conical, shell 19, which is supported for rotation on peripheral tracks 20, which tracks rest on top of pairs of flanged wheels 21, so that the end thrust on the shell 19 is absorbed by the flanges of the wheels 21. The walls of the shell 19 are perforated, as at 22, to form grate-like elements, so that the heavy residue of combustion and disintegrated bottles may fall through the openings 22, and be collected in the removable refuse tray, or drawer supported on the member 23, which is similar to the removable drawer 24 of the patented device. The drawer is provided with a pullout handle 25.

Mounted on the interior of the shell 19 are spiral baffles 26, which are arranged to move the material in the shell 19 to the left in FIG. 1, when the shell is rotated in one direction, and arranged to move the contents of the shell 19 to the right in FIG. 1, and into the interior of the cylinder 12 of the patented device, when the shell is rotated in the opposite direction.

The flanged wheels 21 are pivoted on suitable supports 27, which are spring biased, as at 28, and arranged so that the weight of the shell 19 and its contents will overcome the expansion of the springs 28, and permit the wheel supports 27 to actuate limit switches 29, which are positioned thereunder.

The limit switches 29 are positioned in circuits 30 and 31, which are connected to a reversible drive motor 32, and arranged so that either of the switches 29 and 29A may actuate the motor 32 to rotate the motor in one direction. Another circuit 33, having a push button switch 34, is arranged to cause the rotation of the motor 32 in the opposite direction. The motor 32 is connected to a power supply 35.

The motor 32, through a sprocket wheel 36, chain 37, and a sprocket 38 mounted on the outer periphery of the shell 19, causes the rotation of the shell in forward and reverse directions.

The wheel supports 28 and limit switches 29 are supported on suitable cross members 39, which are in turn supported by the side members of the housing 7.

A gas line 40 connects to a suitable source of gas and terminates on the interior of the shell 19, so that the combustible contents of the shell 19 may be burned.

A water line 41 is connected to a suitable water supply and terminates on the interior of the shell 19, so that the interior of the shell 19 may be sprayed with cold water at the end of the combustion cycle, so that any heated glass elements remaining in the shell may be shattered and dis integrated.

The gas line 40 and the water line 41 extend through suitable bores in the end plate 14 which supports them.

The device operates as follows: the shell 19 is first charged with any combustible and non-combustible domestic trash and garbage, which may include non-combustible tin cans, metal tops of cardboard cartons, and the like, and even glass containers. These materials are loaded into the shell 19, through the opening 15 in the end plate 14, after the door 16 has been elevated. The gas burner 40A is then ignited and a suificient volume of gas is burned, so that all of the combustible material in the shell 19 is consumed.

The ash and residue of the combustible material falls through the openings 22 as the shell revolves, and is collected in the drawer 23, from which it may be subsequent- 1y removed.

At the end of the combustion cycle the shell 19 may still retain glass bottles and metal cans. The bottles are preferably sprayed with cold water from the line 41, which cold water, when striking the terrifically heated glass elements will cause the same to shatter and disintegrate. Also the tumbling of the hot glass against the baflles 26 in the shell 19 helps shatter it. Then the pieces of glass may fall through the openings 22 and be collected in the drawer 23.

During the combustion cycle the shell 19 is rotated in a direction so that the spiral baffles 26 will cause the material in the shell to be moved toward the loading door 16, and away from the cylinder 12. At the end of the combustion and bottle distintegrating cycle the shell 19 is reversed, causing any metal cans, metal closure tops, and

the like, to be moved toward the discharge end 19A of the shell 19, and causing the metal elements to be deposited inside of the cylinder 12, to be disintegrated, as taught in my previous Patent 3,027,445. The forced draft of my patented device draws the products of combustion out through the shell 19 and cylinder 12, and the flue 42.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing description.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An incinerating device comprising a housing, a truncated conical, perforated, shell supported for rotation, in said housing, said shell having a charging opening at one end and discharging opening at the other end, combustion means on the interior of said shell, means to rotate said shell and means for controlling said rotating means, the support means for said shell including peripheral tracks on said shell, flanged wheels in contact with said tracks, spring biased support members for said WllfiBlS, and means responsive to the weight of said shell for actuating the means for rotating said shell.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the discharge end of said shell extends beyond the said housing and is received on the interior of an electrical device for disintegrated metal cans.

3. The structure of claim 1, including a water line which terminates on the interior of said shell and is arranged to spray water on glass objects in said shell.

4. The structure of claim 1, including means for integrating said housing and said shell with an arc producing device for disintegrating metal containers.

5. The structure of claim 1, including removable means for collecting the residue of material incinerated in said shell.

6. The structure of claim 1, in which said shell is provided with spiral baflles on the interior thereof.

7. The structure of claim 1, including means on the interior of said shell arranged to shatter glass objects remaining in said shell after the incinerating cycle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 518,285 4/1894 Storer 14 X 1,244,952 10/1917 Bryan. 1,835,147 12/1931 Drew 110-14 1,888,439 11/1932 Stolte. 2,127,328 8/1938 Egan 110-14 2,274,780 3/1942 Duerr et al. 11014 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

